Knucklehead (2010)

Alright, if you didn’t already know, I’m kind of a wrestling nerd. Even though I know going in that they’re most likely going to suck, I tend to watch all the WWE Films releases. Except The Chaperone, still haven’t watched that one. Kind of not even tempted to, sorry Triple H. Although, Kevin Corrigan is in it… maybe one day. Anyways, WWE Films have learned from their mistakes, and now they tend to eschew long-term theatrical releases for extremely short ones in select cities and then the next week release them on DVD/Blu-Ray. It’s actually a far more profitable scenario for their movies, rather than debuting at #7 in their opening weekend and disappearing shortly thereafter. This way they make a tonne of money at Wal-Mart from the rabid fans that eat up anything that WWE stamps their trademark on. Also, since I watched it before I started this blog, That’s What I Am is not just a good WWE Films release, it’s actually a decent movie all around.

I will not be as kind to Knucklehead though! It’s not great, nor even within Big Show-spitting distance of good. In case you’re not aware, Big Show (Paul Wight) is the lead actor of Knucklehead and is a WWE Superstar or whatever label WWE wants to put on their wrestlers nowadays. He does his job decently enough, but the premise is kind of ripped off from The Blues Brothers, and maybe not even The Blue Brothers movie, maybe the old 8-bit Nintendo game. I don’t know, I never played it. If it’s a game based off of the movie, it HAS to have something to do with it, right?

Anyways, Dennis Farina is in this as well, playing the same character he seems to play every movie that isn’t Out of Sight. Oh and it’s a PG-rated movie, so you just KNOW that’s going to cater to his foul-mouthed tendencies. Also, Wendie Malick is a nun, and Melora Hardin (TV’s Jan from “The Office”), Mark Feuerstein (?), Saul Rubinek and Will Patton round out the rest of the name actors in the cast. There’s a lot of potty-related humour because of course Big Show’s enormous frame is going to put out pungent farts and shits and HOHOHO that’s hilarious. Kids might enjoy some of the antics, but the movie also takes place in bars and deals with the mob and such and it doesn’t seem to know what audience it’s trying to cater to.